Turn Unused Items and Materials into Recycled Crafts for Kids

Recycled crafts for kids can teach children to protect environment by reusing materials and items. Craft made from recycled material can be beautiful. Recycling unused items and materials does not cost us anything. Children also learn about the properties of materials such as paper, plastic, glass etc.

For safety purpose, I would recommend using paper and plastic for recycled crafts for young kids. It is also easily available.

Make a Goat from Cereal Box and Plastic Bag

Turn cereal box and plastic into craft is an easy recycled craft for kids. All you need are:- a cereal box- some blank paper- a clean plastic bag- masking tape- poster color for painting

Tape the cereal box with masking tape. Then pain over it.

Cut out a pair of eyes, ears, horns, legs, hands, a nose and a mouth using blank papers. Paint these parts accordingly.

Stick the hands and legs onto the cereal box.

Blow up the plastic bag and tie it up. Stick on the eyes, ears, horns, nose and mouth. Place the plastic bag into the cereal box and the craft is completed.

You can create many different kind of animals for this craft. Make a variety of nose, ears and eyes will give you different animals. Instead of painting rainbow colors, your child can do polka dots or strips on the cereal box. That's the fun of making kids' craft. Explore with different colors, patterns and designs will create varieties.

House Slipper made from Discarded Carton Box

Here is to make a pair of house slipper. My girl got a distinction from this slipper craft work from her school.

Materials:Discarded carton boxSome string

Instructions:1. Cut out a panel from the discarded carton box. Make sure the panel size is huge enough to fit the size of your kid’s feet.

2. Take a pair of kid's shoes and trace the size on the panel of the carton box. Cut it out. This cut out carton box panel will be the sole of the slipper.

3. Make some small holes by the side and center of the sole. Use a screwdriver if the carton paper box is thick. Ensure the hole is not too big; just enough for the string to go through. Thread the string through the holes and tie a knot underneath.

4. Decorate the slipper. Your kid can draw, color or paint the sole of the slipper. Stick some stickers on slipper sole or the string etc.

Create Your Own Recycled Paper

We can even make recycled paper for ourselves.

Tear newspaper into tiny bits. Stir and soak tear newspaper in a pail of water for about a day.

Scoop newspaper bits from water; squeeze out some water but not too dry. Spread the wet newspaper bits onto a plastic cover or tray. Leave it under shady and windy area to dry.

Once dry, you have a piece of recycled paper for other craft purpose.

Craft made from recycled material may serve some functional purpose. This helps to extend the life cycle of material.

Mini Basket from Magazine Pages

Tear pages out from magazines. Roll each page up tightly. Use the rolled pages to weave into mini basket.

Folded Paper Box

Fold used paper into a box. We use the box for storing paper clips.

Message hanger on Door Knob

Write your message on the back of a piece of thick paper. Cut up some used straws. Thread a string through the straws and the thick paper.

Fairy Costume from Old Curtains

If you are a hands-on parent who is good at sewing, you may want to explore this craft. This idea comes from my friend who has kindly shared how she has done it. Maybe you can consider similar ideas for the next Halloween costume....

My daughter's school project was to use recycled materials to make a Chang Er costume. (By the way, according to Chinese Mid Autumn Festival, Chang Er is the fairy who lived on the moon with her pet rabbit.) I decided to use old curtains that were kept in the storeroom because it was too good to be thrown away.

Firstly, I did a sketch, do the measurements and roughly cut out the pattern on paper. With that, I moved on to cut the curtains based on the paper pattern. The last step was to sew them together. Not much hemming was required because I cut along the edges of the curtains where hemming were already done. That really saved me a lot of time! woohoo! :)

The final product was a top, a skirt and both were secured with a sash. All was done in less than 2 days and she was so happy that she came in 3rd for that... :)